Love and Peace

And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.  Colossians 3:14
Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.  Ephesians 4:3

Love and peace.  Most believers will say they do their very best to walk in love and peace, but it just isn't always possible.  They will say that some people will simply not allow it.  I suggest that we are the problem rather than they. 

We wonder why our prayers sometimes seemingly go unanswered.  We even say that sometimes God simply must say no.  After deliberation regarding myself, I can only come to the conclusion that the reason God seemingly simply says no to so many prayers is that we have neglected love and peace.  It does not matter if an individual doesn't want us to love them and behaves in such a manner as to try and deter us from doing so.  We are to love them anyway.  We speak highly of the unconditional love of God and are extremely thankful for it.  However, we tend to forget that He tells us 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you. 32 "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. Luke 6.  We are not to love others because they have earned our respect, gratitude, or anything else.  We are to love them because they are created in the image of God and because, at the heart of the matter, we are just like them.  The only difference may be that we have accepted Jesus' free gift of salvation and they have not.

We even find it difficult to walk in love toward some of our brothers and sisters in Christ.  Why?  They think differently than we; they behave differently; they spend their money differently; they are not as neat as we or too neat for our taste and again, the list could go on.  I would bet we make up reasons to not have to walk in love!!  Why?  It's hard work!!  You get rejected, lied about, and generally are thought of as pretty crazy.  And then what are we told?  Walk in peace!!

So, just how badly do we want our prayers to be heard?  Badly enough to fulfill these "ifs" He tells us about in His word? 

As I look around my house I see places where, were someone to visit, they would think my house in disrepair.  The truth is, it is in the state of being repaired.  Last night Michael put some holes in the livingroom wall to discover how wide our double doors were to the outside.  The previous owners had blocked in over one of them to have more wall space.  These holes will remain for at least two weeks, when our new door is supposed to arrive, then Michael will spend two days installing and repairing.  The holes were necessary to get the measurements exact for the new door.  What he discovered was rather amazing - absolutely no insulation.  A hole in the wall above our door gave him a view of our front yard.  No wonder our house gets so cold in winter and hot in summer!!

Sometimes when we look at our lives we think we are in such disrepair.  Perhaps it is simply God doing the dis-assembly necessary to get the perfect measurements for the removal of the old and replacement with the new.  As we begin new journeys with the Lord, say determining in our spirit man to walk in love and peace as much as we know how, sometimes we are going to feel like a hammer is bashing against the walls of our heart.  What we must remember is that all it means is God is at work.  He is taking out the old and replacing it with something much better, more beautiful and much longer lasting.  He will insulate us in His love, filling our gaps with His joy and peace.  He will throw out the old, worn out parts that didn't work correctly and were an eyesore and will replace them with the work of His hands, flawless and beautiful to behold, with the bonus of being eternal.  In order to get to that place though, we are going to feel bashed, cut, torn, scraped and so much more!  Will it be worth the effort?  We have to make that decision individually.  I can say without much deliberation with myself, that I don't really care what I think about it.  God says to walk in love and peace, so therefore, I choose to walk in love and peace.  When my sin nature rears its head and cries out in agony over the bashing it is taking, I pray that God gives me the strength to offer the sacrifice of laughter up to Him in praise and adoration for the work is doing on my behalf.  Will I always succeed?  I cannot make that guarantee, but I can cry out to God and know that He will be there to help me and to forgive when if/when I do fail.

Father, there is much work to do in Your Church.  We have walls in disrepair, doors that have been plastered over and become unwelcoming to the world, windows that are dirty - so dirty that Your light comes through only dimly, extra walls that have been built up and need tearing down, insulation that is missing or gotten so thin it is of little value.  Father, make us like Nehemiah.  Break our hearts at the very thought of Your temple being in such disarray.  Help us bind together in love and peace.  Help us walk in unity and begin the work of repairing Your temple and bringing back the sacrifices of our very lives to Your work.  Forgive us, cleanse us, and help us recognize and welcome the alterations You will be doing in and among us, so that when Jesus returns, He will find His bride beautiful and perfected, for He is worthy of nothing less!!  In Jesus' precious name I ask this!!  AMEN and AMEN!!